Abstract

The thermomagnetic writing and erasure process has been investigated, paying special attention to the case of zero applied magnetic field. Concerning bubblelike domains, writing can easily be performed by the demagnetizing field while erasure requires an external magnetic field larger than the collapse field. However, in alloys exhibiting a compensation temperature above ambient temperature erasure can be achieved in the absence of an external field via the creation and annihilation of a ring domain which opens the capability of direct overwrite.